EMBOX2 wrote:
Can't help but think this is a bad idea. You're just moving the problem further downstream, to Abingdon, Wallingford, Henley, etc.

Quite right.

Any scheme needs to combine measures to prevent the problem simply moving downstream, and also ways to manage the water flows in the Thames, Cherwell, Ock, Thame etc upstream of the major towns and city.

This would probably also need to involve more controlled flooding of farmland and recreational areas - deafening silence as to where those areas might be?.

[quote][p][bold]EMBOX2[/bold] wrote:
Can't help but think this is a bad idea. You're just moving the problem further downstream, to Abingdon, Wallingford, Henley, etc.[/p][/quote]Quite right.
Any scheme needs to combine measures to prevent the problem simply moving downstream, and also ways to manage the water flows in the Thames, Cherwell, Ock, Thame etc upstream of the major towns and city.
This would probably also need to involve more controlled flooding of farmland and recreational areas - deafening silence as to where those areas might be?.Gunslinger

yes, quite. All this will do is cause huge amounts of damage to flood plain meadows and concentrate the flow further downstream so that Abingdon etc will flood more readily.....stupid to just throw huge amounts of money at the problem when what it needs is thought not knee jerk destruction.

yes, quite. All this will do is cause huge amounts of damage to flood plain meadows and concentrate the flow further downstream so that Abingdon etc will flood more readily.....stupid to just throw huge amounts of money at the problem when what it needs is thought not knee jerk destruction.baldynoseaside

The report looking at the benefits of the relief channel does link its construction with a flood plain storage area near the point at which the Windrush joins the Thames. According to the report the channel will only increase downstream levels by a few millimetres. The proposed channel is a deeper channel which will remain wet all year with its own flood plain area as it floods. So the channel itself will have significant holding capacity. If you look at the ups and downs of the Thames levels since late December there have been opportunities between peaks to safely discharge more water downstream before the next heavy downpour. Because all of the weirs have been fully open its not been possible to increase flow through the Oxford basin, Any extra route to allow this to happen can only improve things by giving more options to control flow

The report looking at the benefits of the relief channel does link its construction with a flood plain storage area near the point at which the Windrush joins the Thames. According to the report the channel will only increase downstream levels by a few millimetres. The proposed channel is a deeper channel which will remain wet all year with its own flood plain area as it floods. So the channel itself will have significant holding capacity. If you look at the ups and downs of the Thames levels since late December there have been opportunities between peaks to safely discharge more water downstream before the next heavy downpour. Because all of the weirs have been fully open its not been possible to increase flow through the Oxford basin, Any extra route to allow this to happen can only improve things by giving more options to control flowCityview